Amador County - A statewide sweep enforcing California’s heat illness prevention regulations resulted in 119 violations last week, including serious violations in Amador County. It was the largest heat enforcement sweep to date. Under state law, employers must provide and encourage workers to drink fresh water, provide access to shaded areas, and offer training on heat illness, including how to recognize symptoms and call the proper authorities in case of an emergency. Many of the regulations enforced last week have been in place for at least 20 years, according to Erica Monterroza, CAL/OSHA Spokeswoman. She said Governor Schwarzenegger made enforcement of these regulations a priority in 2005 after a string of farmworker fatalities. “There may even have been other violations observed, but for the purpose of this operation our focus in on heat-related violations,” she said. Statewide, 43 inspection teams visited over 91 outdoor work sites. Serious violations occurred in Amador, Contra Costa, Fresno, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. Twelve inspectors from the Department of Industrial Relations' Division of Occupational Safety and Health conducted surprise sweeps of 23 agriculture and construction related businesses in Amador county. Nine sites were found to have heat-related violations. Two companies- M & R Packing Company in Martell and Jackson Valley Vineyards in Ione- were classified as having serious code violations. Both of these inspections were conducted on September 22 and 23, respectively. M & R Packing violations included a lack of proper shade available at all times, a lack of fresh, clean drinking water, and a written program outlining emergency procedures. Jackson Valley Vineyards did not provide adequate shade or a heat illness prevention program. Both cases are still open, but the businesses could see fines between $5000 and $17,000. Monterroza said investigations typically take 3-4 months, though they have up to six under state guidelines. Before last week's sweep, Cal/OSHA had conducted 2,485 inspections of outdoor workplaces. “We continue to look at ways to partner with different companies and individuals to let them know protections are available,” said Monterroza. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.